North Buxton’s Homecoming has been recognized at the provincial level for its commitment to heritage tourism over the last 100 years.
Buxton’s 100th anniversary of Homecoming was honoured for “Excellence in Conservation” at the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards on Thursday in the Lieutenant Governor’s Suite in Toronto.
The annual heritage awards ceremony recognized three individuals during the ceremony and four projects, including the 100th Buxton Homecoming.
The 100th-anniversary event was awarded by the Ontario Heritage Trust and the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario for demonstrating community leadership by driving heritage tourism in 2023 to one of the province’s most significant historical Black communities.
The Buxton Homecoming celebrated its centennial on September 1-4, 2023. The homecoming event began in 1924 as a one-day reunion for former slaves who came to Canada as part of the Underground Railroad. It has since grown into a four-day celebration that blends African-Canadian heritage, family reunions, children’s activities, and small-town hospitality.